Question

Describe three adaptations of xerophytes (Desert plants). Be sure that your descriptions explain how each adaptation is an advantage in an arid environment.

Answer 1

Xerophytes have developed three main adaptive stages and are morphological and physiological characteristics that enable an organism to survive under condition of water deficit.

1. Succulence :-

Advantage :- xerophytes such as cacti are capable of withstanding extended periods of dry condition as they have deep spreading roots and capacity to store water and the leaves are waxy and thorny that prevents loss of water and moisture and even their fleshy stems can store water.

They are draught resistant plants in which the leaves ,stem or roots have become more than usually fleshy by the development of water storing tissue .plant adapted to living in dry environments such as succulents termed as xerophytes.

2. Drought tolerance :- it is the ability of plants to endure low tissue water content through adaptive traits.

Advantage :- adapting to draught avoidance is their saving grace but they also have modified other aspect of their form too. Storing moisture and preventing it from being lost from open pores another.

3. Drought avoidance :- it is the ability of plants to maintain higher tissue water content and reduce water content in the soil.

Advantage:- They may be dormant during draught conditions and known as draught evaders .Shrubs which grow in arid and semi arid regions are also xeromorohic.

Ephemerals are the draught escaping kind and not true xerophytes and plants which survive draught are small and weak.

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